Command to Install Tasksel on Ubuntu 22.04 or 20.04

What is the purpose of Tasksel?

Tasksel on Ubuntu, Debian, or Linux Mint is a popular open-source tool for those who want to use a single command for installing multiple packages. The working and command line of Tasksel is quite easy, unlike APT package manager, it comes with a pre-defined stack of software packages to install. This helps users not only save time but also automate the process of adding more programs to existing systems.

Unfortunately, Tasksel is not available by default on the Linux system So, here are the steps on how to use Tasksel on Ubuntu 20.04 Focal or 22.04 Jammy server or desktop.

Note: Also, the Tasksel is not like earlier, which means there is no LAMP server instead web server that only supplies the Apache package that can be easily installed using the APT package manager as well.

Use Terminal to install Taskel on Ubuntu 22.04 | 20.04

1. Open the Command Terminal

If you are using the command line server of Ubuntu then you are already on CLI. Whereas Desktop users can press Ctrl+Alt+T to run the command terminal application.

Once you have terminal access, run the system update command to refresh the package index cache of APT.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

2. Install Tasksel on Ubuntu 22.04 | 20.04

Although Taskel is not installed by default on Ubuntu 22.04 or 20.04, however, we can get it using the default system repository. Therefore no need to add any third-party repo or tool. Simply in your terminal use the APT package manager and the corresponding software name we want to install.

sudo apt install tasksel

To check it is installed successfully, you can use the test parameter:

tasksel -t

 3. Choose and Install Software Packages with Tasksel

Is there a command to list all available tasks in tasksel?

If you don’t know what are the packages available to install using the Tasksel, then in your command terminal simply type:

tasksel --list-tasks
command to list all available tasks in tasksel

Once you have decided which software package you want to install, run:

tasksel

This will display all the combinations of the open-source packages to install. For example Debian Desktop environments such as Gnome, Xfce, KDE Plasma, Cinnamon, MATE, LXDE, and LXQT. Apart from them, you can install a Web server, SSH server, and Laptop.

The Taskel Laptop package will contain packages that are essential for the Laptop such as “avahi-autoipd, bluetooth, powertop, iw, wireless-tools and wpasupplicant.”

You can select multiple tasks from the main menu by pressing the spacebar after each option. When finished selecting tasks, press the tab to move over to OK and press enter. The installation process will begin automatically after that.

Tasksel installation on Ubuntu 20.04 or 22.04

Alternatively, we can also use the command line of Tasksel to install the required packages, here is the syntax:

sudo tasksel install package-name

For example:

sudo tasksel install kde-desktop

When installing software packages, keep an eye out for any prompts asking if you want additional features enabled or configuration changes made during installation as these will not be done automatically for you. You also may need to accept any license agreements that accompany the software before it begins installing (depending on what type of software is being installed).

Further to know what important related packages we are going to get under the Tasksel Tasks, use:

apt show task-package_name

Replace the package_name with the actual package. For example:

apt-show task-laptop

You will see a piece of detailed information:

Tasksel package details

Trivia: Does tasksel install all packages related to the chosen software profiles?

Yes, the software package we choose to install the software profiles using the Taskel will also install all the packages required and related to it to ensure its proper working.

4. Uninstall Packages with Tasksel

We can remove items installed using tasksel by selecting the “Task” name you have set up. For example, if we have installed Web-server using it, then instead of using ‘install‘ use ‘remove‘ and then the package name.

sudo tasksel remove package-name

Example:

sudo tasksel remove web-server

Conclusion

Tasksel makes it easy to quickly install multiple applications to Ubuntu or Linux Mint computers however all the packages available through it can be installed using the APT as well. However, it is easy to install a few software stacks whenever you are configuring new systems in the future.

FAQ:

What is the difference between Tasksel and apt install?

Both Tasksel and Apt are package managers to install various software on Ubuntu-based Linux systems. However, the key difference between them is Tasksel offers bundle pre-defined software packages for a particular task with multiple related packages as part of it. For example- if you want to install various Desktop environments, then Tasksel will give you pre-defined options such as Gnome, XFCE, and more. You just need to select them and everything will be done by it.

Whereas Apt, on the other hand, requires that each package be specified before installation can take place. Tasksel will be convenient for users who know what they want to install and how it will interact with existing programs, while apt install may be better suited for advanced users who have detailed knowledge of specific packages they wish to install. Also, Tasksel has only a few limited packages and cannot beat APT at all.

How to run Tasksel in Ubuntu to perform task?

Simply open your command terminal and type – tasksel this will give you a list of available tasks or packages that can be installed using it.

How to select an item in Tasksel on Linux Terminal?

You can select multiple tasks or items from the main menu of Tasksel by using the Arrow keys and then pressing the spacebar to select the option, this will put an Asterisk sign in front of each selected item. When finished selecting tasks, press the Tab to move over to OK and press Enter Key. The installation process will begin automatically after that.

Can I use tasksel to upgrade existing installed packages?

Yes, if there are some upgrades available through the system repositories of the system then running the Tasksel command can upgrade the existing installed packages. Alternatively, you can also run the Ubuntu update and upgrade command as well…

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